Earth
by strangechild13
Summary: Axel and Roxas want to get away. Riku and Sora want to be accepted. What happens when a boat carrying Axel and Roxas washes up on Riku and Sora's home shores? Rated T for language and content. AkuRoku, RiSo


**A/N: Okay, new story. Yeah, first chapter is how Axel and Roxas decided to get the boat, second chapter is Riku and Sora got to the docks, and... yeah. I don't own these characters.**

"You know, water used to be blue." Roxas looked over. Axel tugged on his black and red striped armwarmer. The blonde pulled on one of his checkered fingerless gloves and stared at the brown water.

"You can't be serious. Water's _always _been brown, Axel. Next you're going to tell me grass is green or some shit."

"Hey, it used to be, alright?" Axel tugged Roxas close by the black and white checkered scarf around the blonde's neck. "Don't believe me?"

Roxas smirked. "Why should I? You have no proof."

Axel shrugged and pulled an old, worn photograph from his pocket. Sure enough, the sky in the picture was blue and the grass was as green as Axel's eyes.

"The sky was blue too?" Roxas asked. Axel smiled softly and nodded.

"As blue as those eyes of yours, babe."

Roxas leaned up and pressed his lips to Axel's in a soft, sweet kiss. Axel's arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him even closer, their bodies touching. Roxas pulled away slowly, arms around Axel's neck and fingers playing with the red spikes. The blonde smiled and leaned in for another kiss. Axel was the one to pull away this time, and cast a look at the dreary grey sky.

"I've always wanted to live back then, you know? Where everything had _color_," Axel sighed. Roxas leaned up and kissed Axel's cheek.

"This isn't something I can distract you from, is it?"

"Well, when I stare at you, you think it's creepy, so no."

"I didn't know that's why you stared at me. I thought you were _trying_ to be creepy."

"Actually, Rox, I stare at you because you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. You top the sunset, baby."

"A _what_?" Roxas laughed.

"Oh, never mind. Let's get going. The brown ocean is depressing me."

"I always wonder…" Roxas started, "about what would happen if someone jumped in and swam as far as they could. You think they'd find land? Maybe there are other places besides ours."

"They wouldn't get very far," Axel replied gravely. "That water's downright toxic. It would just… eat at them until they were nothing but a pile of dust on the ocean floor. Now, if you were in a boat…"

"Let's stop talking about this."

"Agreed. Your place or mine, babe?"

"Mine. Mum's not home." The two walked along the fence separating the town from the ocean until they reached Roxas' house. The blonde let them in, the pair retreating to Roxas' room. Axel bit back a laugh at the gears, pipes, skeleton keys, and various other things scattered around the room.

"You _still_ haven't cleaned this place up?" Axel asked as Roxas removed the goggles from their place pushed up into his blonde spikes.

"I'm on to something, I'm sure. I'll clean it up when I figure out just what that something is." Axel rolled his eyes and picked up something from the desk.

"Is this a… clockwork heart?"

"I might need it one of these days," Roxas said casually. "You make my heart beat so fast that someday it might explode."

"Well, I don't think clockwork's going to help your body function, Rox. Sorry."

"Oh well. It's pretty, no?"

"Oh, I'm sure a girl would pay you a lot of money for this little thing."

Roxas walked up to the redhead, grabbing his hands and pulling him toward the bed. Axel grinned and followed, pushing the blonde back onto the bed, kissing him fiercely. Roxas' legs came around Axel's waist and the blonde moaned as Axel bit at his bottom lip. The redhead ground against him, a moan ripping from both their throats at the friction. Roxas heard the door slam and pulled away from Axel with a gasp. Axel's mouth moved to his neck, biting and sucking, leaving a mark.

"Axel, _stop_. She's home. We can't _do_ this."

Axel pulled away with an irritated sigh, muttering under his breath.

"Ax, I'm sorry…"

"Whatever. I should get going anyway. It's getting late." Roxas looked outside and it was in fact a few shades darker that before. He attempted to give Axel a kiss goodbye, but the redhead wouldn't have it. Roxas sighed and latched on to Axel's neck.

"Don't go, please, I'm sorry!" Roxas begged. Slowly, Axel's arms came around his waist and held him.

"Hush. I'm sorry. I've been trying to be alone with you for two weeks and it hasn't worked out. I just want to be with you. How about this? I'll get us a boat and we'll go exploring, just like you want. We'll see if there are other places out there. Does that sound okay?"

Roxas, his face hidden in Axel's chest, nodded. Axel tilted his face up and kissed him. Roxas pulled away after a few seconds, smiling softly.

"Axel, will you stay tonight?"

"Are you having those dreams again?"

Roxas frowned. "Yes. But that's not why I asked. I've been missing you lately. You were right; we haven't been together much the last few weeks." Roxas reached up and traced the tattoos under Axel's eyes. "That's why I'm asking."

"I'll stay," Axel breathed, kissing Roxas again. The blonde parted his lips to deepen the kiss, and Axel complied. There came a knock at the door, and the boys broke apart. Roxas opened the door and found his mother standing there, holding a bottle and looking angry beyond belief. Roxas bit back his sigh. She was inebriated again.

"Yes?" he asked, hoping it sounded respectful enough to the intoxicated woman.

"Is _he_ here?" she spat, trying to push past her son into the room.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"We were at the shore. It got late, so we came back here since I live closer that he does."

"He goes home. You stay here. You're in trouble."

Roxas looked back into the room at Axel. They both knew what "you're in trouble" meant, and by the look on Axel's face, he'd heard it. The redhead walked out the door, dodging a drunken punch to his face on his way out. Roxas faced his mother and sighed. He stepped out of his bedroom, closing the door behind him as his mother landed the first punch.

_Fade_

Axel slammed the door shut behind him. How could that woman live with herself, doing those things to her own son? Especially when her son was Roxas, the sweet kid everyone loved. Axel swore to himself for the thousandth time that he'd get Roxas out of there. He'd promised an adventure, hadn't he? If it got them away from this god-forsaken place, why not? He smiled slightly to himself as he pictured Roxas away from that wretched woman. The blonde boy would be so much happier, much less scared of his own shadow as he was now. Not that Roxas _was_, anyway. For his home life, the boy was actually rather outgoing.

"Axel!" someone screeched. Axel bolted out of his daydreaming to answer the call. A woman with hair as red as Axel's own stormed down the stairs. "Where were you?"

"With Roxas. We were at the shore, see, and what happened was…"

"So why isn't he here?"

"He's 'in trouble' again," Axel muttered darkly. Axel's mother's eyes softened, her heart going out to the blonde boy. Axel's mum was one of the few Christians left in the world, and she always prayed that Roxas would be delivered from his mother. It hadn't happened yet, of course, but as she knew, one of God's greatest gifts was unanswered prayers. Though even she couldn't understand why God would put one of his children in such an awful situation.

"Go call on him, then. Save him from that devil of a woman he's got. By the time you get there, she should be gone, right? Just bring him here, and when she comes calling, you and I have no idea where he is. Now go on, get going." She made a shooing motion with her hands.

"Alright, alright, I'm going." Axel stood and left, heading to Roxas'. When he got there, the blonde was in the fetal position on the porch. Hearing the approaching footsteps, he looked up, Axel wincing at the bruises on Roxas' face.

"She locked me out."

"Come home with me, Rox. My mum demands it, actually. She wants to make sure you're alright, as usual." Axel helped the blonde stand and together, with Roxas leaning on Axel heavily, they made it back to Axel's and almost immediately Axel's mum was on them, pulling Roxas away from Axel and into the kitchen to patch him up and get him something to drink.

"Thank you, Ariel," Roxas said quietly, sitting down and leaning on Axel. Axel's arm slid around the blonde.

"Not a problem at all, honey. Axel told me he plans on keeping you around for a while, and I feel like I should help you anyway. No one should be doing that to their child." The woman left the room and Roxas looked up at Axel.

"Were you being serious about the boat?"

"Of course I was. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I thought you were just… you know, kidding around."

"No, Rox, I wasn't. Someday soon, okay? I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Roxas said sadly. Axel tilted his chin up and kissed him deeply, a kiss full of promises and futures and love. Roxas kissed back, accepting those promises and futures and returning that love.

"You were saying?"

"Nothing important," Roxas said breathlessly, leaning in for another kiss. Axel broke away and smiled softly, running his fingers through Roxas' hair. Roxas leaned into the touch, yearning for Axel's comfort after his mother's drunken rampage.

"I'm really sorry, Rox."

"It's not your fault."

"Just come stay with us. God knows we have the room. Besides, if you do, I'll always be there for you when those dreams come at you…"

Roxas smiled. "You make a tempting offer, but my mum would kill me if she ever found me."

"My mum told me to demand you stay here and when your mum comes looking for you tell her we don't know where you are."

"That wouldn't work and you know it. I appreciate the effort though." Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's neck and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

"Love you too. Come on. Let's get to bed." Axel led the blonde to his bedroom and pulled him down on the bed. Roxas smiled and shifted closer to Axel, falling asleep quickly.

_Fade_

The next morning, Axel awoke first. He was content to stay in bed and watch the blonde in his arms as he slept peacefully for the first time in months. Roxas stirred slightly and made a small noise in the back of his throat. He didn't wake, though, and Axel leaned down and kissed his forehead. Roxas shifted, his eyes blinking open and staring up at Axel.

"Strange…" Roxas said softly. "They don't come when you're here…"

Axel chuckled quietly. "Well, I guess you'll have to reconsider then, won't you?"

Roxas smiled. "I suppose so." He leaned up for a kiss and pushed Axel onto his back. The redhead blinked up at the blonde on top of him, who was smirking. Roxas leaned down and kissed a trail from Axel's ear to his chin, flicking his tongue at Axel's bottom lip. Axel's eyes slipped shut, the pleasure overtaking the surprise. Roxas swept his tongue into Axel's mouth, kissing him. Axel pulled back and opened his eyes slightly, their faces a few inches apart.

"What was that?"

Roxas laughed. "A 'good morning' kiss. Didn't you like it?"

"Loved it, but we should probably get up."

"We can't stay in bed all day?" Roxas asked, pouting slightly. Axel chuckled.

"No, sorry. You know how mum is. We stay in bed too late and she thinks we're…"

Roxas leaned close. "Axel, what did you think my plan was?"

"Well then…" Axel shifted and Roxas moved to lie beside him, a hand on the redhead's chest.

"I don't want to move. You're comfortable."

"What about your 'plan'?" Axel asked. Roxas made a small noise in the back of his throat.

"Forget it. Can we just lie here like this all day?"

"Sure, babe." No sooner had the nickname left Axel's lips was there a knock at the door and a woman's voice calling their names and gently telling them to get up, they'd had enough sleep. Roxas' lips pursed slightly in a pout that Axel laughed slightly at, it was just too cute. Roxas glared, the pout disappearing as he smacked Axel's chest and told him to shut up. Axel smiled and got out of bed, walking across the room to the door and opening it before realizing Roxas had remained in bed and was now trying to fall back to sleep.

"Roxas, sweetie…" Ariel said softly. "You and Axel need to get out of bed. It's time for breakfast." Ariel seemed to realize something. "Does it still hurt? Is that why you don't want to get up?" There was a small murmur of agreement and Ariel made a small noise and went over, sitting on the edge of the bed. Axel remained in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

"Aggravated them, didn't you?" Axel asked.

"Yes," Roxas moaned miserably. Axel came back over to the blonde and held him close, fingers running a rhythmic pattern through blonde hair.

"Stay with me, Roxy…" Axel whispered in the blonde's ear. "Please…" Axel added, hoping the rarely-used nickname would convince Roxas.

"Don't go back, honey," Ariel cooed.

Roxas shook his head, beginning to sob. "I-I c-can't s-stay," he stammered through his tears. Axel tightened his hold and hid his face in Roxas' hair.

"Come on, please," Axel begged.

"You don't get it," Roxas said. "If she finds out I've been here the whole time and I haven't gone home, I'm dead. I can't stay here. I have to go home."

"Rox, look at me." Axel tilted Roxas' chin up. "You can't go back there. I won't let you get hurt again. I'd never forgive myself. So please, just stay here. At least until we can go exploring. Then when we come back, we'll figure it out. Okay?"

"Okay," Roxas agreed, smiling. Axel smiled back and hugged him tightly.

"I hate to ruin the moment…" Ariel began, a small smile on her face, "but your breakfast will get cold." She stood and left. Roxas shifted, attempting to stand, but Axel pulled him tighter, kissing the top of his head and hiding his face in the spikes.

"God…" Axel breathed. "Don't ever leave me. Please, don't ever…"

"I won't. Now come on. I'm hungry." Roxas smiled softly and broke away from Axel's embrace, taking the redhead's hand and leading them to the kitchen. Ariel smiled at their joined hands and got them their breakfast, sitting them down at the table.

"So Axel, what was this I hear about exploring?" Ariel asked. Axel cleared his throat.

"Uh, see, Rox and I were going to get a boat and go out on the water. We're going to see if we can find land."

"You're going _out_ on that water? Are you _mad_?"

"I don't believe Axel's supposed insanity is what we were discussing," Roxas muttered. Ariel turned to him.

"We're _discussing_ your _safety_, Roxas. I don't think you two should be doing that. It's dangerous. You could get hurt!"

"The only one you have to worry about getting hurt is Axel, and that's only if he pisses me off. We'll be fine."

"What, you wouldn't throw me off the side of the boat?" Axel teased.

Roxas smirked. "No. I'd miss the entertainment."

Axel snorted.

"Aw, you know I love you." Roxas kissed Axel's cheek before looking back at Ariel.

"I just don't think you two should go out there alone! I really think you should have someone go with you, someone that knows the sea and can steer you where you want to go…"

"Mum," Axel sighed, "We'll be _fine_. Roxas knows what he's doing, don't you, baby?"

Roxas nodded. "I might not know any more than the next about what's out there in the world, but I know a great deal about how to get there if such a place does exist. I apologize for stealing your son away from you for an amount of time that even _I'm _not sure of, but he'll be back, I promise. We'll bring you something back, as well. Just to prove we found land and that we're okay. You'll see, it'll be fine."

Ariel frowned skeptically. "Well, I suppose if you know what you're doing…"

Axel chuckled lightly. "Believe me, if anyone can do this, it's Roxas." The blonde smiled and leaned into Axel slightly, the redhead's arm sliding around Roxas' shoulders.

"Well, eat. You'll need your strength. I'll pray for you, boys." Ariel stood and left the room, leaving the boys to their breakfast.

"So we'll take your father's boat?" Roxas asked. Axel nodded, swallowing his food. Roxas looked up, a smirk on his face and mischief gleaming in his eyes.

"Let's go now."

**A/N: Okay. Off to the RiSo chapter now.**


End file.
